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Tim Povlick
31-May-2011, 21:19
Greetings,

I just got a Speed Graphic Camera / Special off Ebay(tm) but can't figure out how to open the front / lens board. It has a little red push button on top left that doesn't seem to do much. There is also a small "trap door" in the back at the rangefinder area that doesn't do much either.

Silliest question of the month, but after checking the Graflex websites I don't see how to open it can don't want to break something in the process. Any kind help is appreciated.

Thanks

Tim

Jack Dahlgren
31-May-2011, 21:23
Depending on the era there should be a small bump under the covering on the top left side. Pressing it should allow the front to swing open. Then pull out the standard to the infinity stops using the locking lever in the center and then turn it to the side to lock into place.

Go to graflex.org and spend some time.

Tim Povlick
31-May-2011, 21:38
Hi Jack

Thanks! You are a genius. Even after you mentioned this I could not find it thinking that was a small air bubble in the cover.

The camera is a "Graflex 4x5 Crown Graphic Special Camera"

Your instructions about opening and locking the lens board were good. thanks!

One last question if I may. The lens board stops at two hard stops in the rail but there is still 2" or 3" of rail left to go. What is that extra travel for if the lens can't got that far?

Tim

Dan Fromm
1-Jun-2011, 02:19
Tim, visit www.graflex.org and read the FAQs to learn, among other things, Graflex-speak.

Those "hard stops" are called, depending on which dialect of Graflex-speak is being used, bed stops or infinity stops. What you call "the lens board" is I think, what's called the front standard. The lens attaches to the lens board, the board attaches to the front standard, the front standard rides on the camera's rails.

The infinity stops are used to position the lens so that, with the bed racked as far back as possible, it will be in focus at infinity. Your camera is set up to focus two different lenses at infinity.

There are two reasons for having infinity stops. First, they maximize the range over which the lens can be focused. Second, the rangefinder expects that the front standard will be at the infinity stop for the lens and cam ('cos your camera has a top rangefinder) being used. If the front standard isn't snugged up against the bed stops the RF will give the wrong answer.

What you see as "extra travel" allows the lens to be focused closer than the bed's travel will allow by sliding the front standard forward on the bed and to allow the use of longer lenses at infinity.

When you close your treasure, make sure that the focusing panel is as far back on the rail as possible and that the bed is racked as far back as possible. If you close the camera without racking the bed as far back as possible you may break the supports for the inner (inside the box) rail and bend the links that connect inner and outer (on the front door) rails. Be careful. My procedure for closing my Graphics is: rack the rail as far back as possible, then push the front standard as deep into the body as it will go, then release the bed struts and gently push the front door shut. If there is any resistance, stop, open the door and start over.

Jim Jones
1-Jun-2011, 06:13
Tim -- The infinity stops can be folded down to permit the front standard to be positioned further forward with longer than normal lenses or for macro photography. The little door in the upper back of the camera is the battery door. It is often missing, because the batteries (or a substitute) are needed to hold it in place. The red button you mentioned closes a circuit using the batteries and a bulb to project two beams of light that converge to a point at the distance to which the camera is focused. This permits one to focus in poor light, essential in the old days when these cameras were the favorite of many journalists.

To get the most out of your great camera, Graphic Graflex Photography by Morgan & Morgan, 11th edition or later, is the standard reference manual. As Jack suggested, graflex.org also has good information. Always feel free to ask here, too. No book or web site has all the answers.

Tim Povlick
1-Jun-2011, 06:49
Dan: thanks for the link, very helpful. Thanks for your clear explanation of the front standard and the interaction with various lenses and the range finder. After checking the link you provided I will perhaps some day try a different lens although the RF part is a bit intimidating. Special thanks for the tips about folding, I was wondering about that and was concerned incorrect procedure could be a problem.

Jim: Thanks for the solving the red button and trap door mystery. I'll pick up the book you mentioned and figure this puppy out.

These are solid and nicely built cameras. One can feel almost the history these camera has witnessed when picking it up.

Thanks again all for you patient and very helpful replies!

Best Regards,

Tim

psychoanalyst
12-Jun-2011, 05:27
Tim,

Welcome! I got my Speed Graphic a week back and had the exact same problem. Could not figure out how to open the front lid! But after 5 mins on Google, I found the manual and the manual tells you how.

Avi

Randy
12-Jun-2011, 06:01
If you close the camera without racking the bed as far back as possible you may break the supports for the inner (inside the box) rail and bend the links that connect inner and outer (on the front door) rails.

Exactly! I just purchased (from a friend) his old Crown Graphic w/lens for $30. He never used the camera so I don't know if he did it or the previous owner, but both inner rails are shot, just as Dan describes. The camera is still usable but I have to be careful when closing it up.